Monica Piris is an expedition doctor who has been working in the Himalaya since before Adrian started climbing there, by one expedition! Together, Monica and Adrian have completed dozens of expeditions, and Monica has established herself as one of the best known high altitude doctor's on the planet. She has been a critical part of countless Everest expeditions, and has worked with hundreds of climbers to reach their goals of climbing the highest peaks in the world. 

Monica joins Sam and Adrian on Episode 22 of the Duffel Shuffle Podcast! The three talk about Monica's career as an expedition doctor.

- Monica shares how she got her start on an early expedition in the Himalaya with Russell Brice. 

- She sheds light on the realities of being an expedition doctor, including the day to day medical value which is primarily basic care. Generally speaking, most of the expedition doctors role is addressing minor altitude, gastrointestinal and upper respiratory illnesses. 

- In collaboration with the expedition leader, Monica talks about the decisions she helps make, from both a medical and logistical perspective. Part of her value is having a clear perspective as she's not on the mountain at higher altitudes. 

You can follow Monica on Instagram, @monica_piris, and learn more about her work through Alpenglow Expeditions' blogs and webpages. 

Follow our podcast on Instagram @duffelshufflepodcast where you can learn more about us and our guests. Visit our website at www.duffelshufflepodcast.com and join our mailing list. The Duffel Shuffle Podcast is supported by Alpenglow Expeditions, an internationally renowned mountain guide service based in Lake Tahoe, California. Visit www.alpenglowexpeditions.com or follow @alpenglowexpeditions on Instagram to learn more.

Nick Russell has been exploring the world by snowboard for more than a decade now. What started as a career competing, has transitioned to being strictly human powered exploration to some of the worlds highest peaks. Nick's drive comes from being truly passionate about riding his snowboard, and loves travel and exploration just as much as a day in Truckee riding with friends.

Sam and Adrian sit down with Nick to talk about his path to riding professionally:
- The three talk about Nick's career trajectory, from growing up in a skiing family, through competing on his snowboard, and eventually following the footsteps of those before him into the world of human powered exploration.
- Mentors have played a big role in many professional's lives, and the mentorship of Jeremy Jones, Jim Zellers, Hilaree Nelson, Jim Morrison and others has shaped Nick's path.
- Nick's recent expedition to Papsura, completing the first snowboard descent of the iconic peak, was a tribute line to the Hilaree Nelson, and a proud accomplishment.

You can learn more about Nick and his career on his Instagram, @nick_russelll and check out his new film 'Papsura: Peak of Evil' on Youtube here.

Follow our podcast on Instagram @duffelshufflepodcast where you can learn more about us and our guests. Visit our website at www.duffelshufflepodcast.com and join our mailing list. The Duffel Shuffle Podcast is supported by Alpenglow Expeditions, an internationally renowned mountain guide service based in Lake Tahoe, California. Visit www.alpenglowexpeditions.com or follow @alpenglowexpeditions on Instagram to learn more.

Michelle Parker has been a professional skier since she was 15 years old. Now, more than 2 decades later, Michelle is so much more than your every day professional skier (or athlete for that matter). From mentoring younger athletes to excelling at other off-season sports, Michelle's impact on the sport and the people around her is admirable. 

Sam and Adrian sit down with Michelle to discuss her path to being a sponsored athlete, which wasn't much of a path considering she turned pro at just 15 years old:
- The three talk about her passion for skiing, how the sport has evolved and changed over the last two decades, and where she finds herself now. 
- Being a staple in the sport for so many years, Michelle's new role is much more that of a mentor, and she's even found her way into other professional sport circles, including a heavy involvement in downhill mountain biking. 
- Finally, Michelle shares the biggest part of her life these days, caring for her dad. An inspiration and motivation to her throughout her life, Michelle now finds herself navigating the challenging shift of relationship with her dad, into that of a caretaker. 

You can check out more about Michelle and her career on her Instagram @myshellparker. From projects with her sponsors @arcteryx and @redbull, to her own Podcast 'Care Less, Do More.', there's a lot to see of Michelle through the years. 

Follow our podcast on Instagram @duffelshufflepodcast where you can learn more about us and our guests. Visit our website at www.duffelshufflepodcast.com and join our mailing list. The Duffel Shuffle Podcast is supported by Alpenglow Expeditions, an internationally renowned mountain guide service based in Lake Tahoe, California. Visit www.alpenglowexpeditions.com or follow @alpenglowexpeditions on Instagram to learn more.

Adrian Ballinger has been a professional mountain athlete for somewhere between 1 decade and 3 decades. While he certainly knows a thing or two about climbing mountains, he's also built a brand around himself, and has represented brands through working not only as a guide but also an athlete. 

Sam and Adrian discuss Adrian's trajectory as a sponsored athlete, from when he got his first support from La Sportiva in a free pair of shoes, to now where he's supported by multiple large brands such as Black Diamond, La Sportiva, and others. Adrian shares a bit about what his job duties entail, and how he's structured his support, with a clothing brand typically anchoring his support. 

You can check out more about Adrian and his career on his Instagram @adrianballinger, and his sponsors @blackdiamond, @tincupwhiskey, @lasportivana, @revelshine, @corosglobal and @vuarnetofficial.

Follow our podcast on Instagram @duffelshufflepodcast where you can learn more about us and our guests. The Duffel Shuffle Podcast is supported by Alpenglow Expeditions, an internationally renowned mountain guide service based in Lake Tahoe, California. Visit www.alpenglowexpeditions.com or follow @alpenglowexpeditions on Instagram to learn more.

Yosemite Valley legend Tommy Caldwell joins Sam and Adrian on Episode 18 of the Duffel Shuffle Podcast. Tommy talks about this season in Yosemite Valley, and why moving his family to South Lake Tahoe has changed how he's able to climb in the valley. He also talks about his recent film, The Devil's Climb, which covers his recent trip to climb the Devils Thumb in Alaska with Alex Honnold. Tommy admits that his true passion in climbing is the sufferfest expeditions, but really he just loves climbing regardless of what it entails. 

Follow Tommy on Instagram @tommycaldwell, and check out The Devil's Climb. 

Sam and Adrian catch up on their plans for winter, and what schedules look like as they head into winter. After the break, the two reflect on the podcast to-date, and share some exciting updates for future episodes. Moving forward, episodes will launch Wednesday's and be available in the early morning hours. Starting with episode 18, an editor will give The Duffel Shuffle a fresh sound, and future guests like Tommy Caldwell, Michelle Parker and Nick Russel will be joining in.

The Duffel Shuffle wants to hear from you! Complete our survey and enter to win a custom Alpenglow Expeditions jacket from Black Diamond! Survey is live until Dec. 13. 

Sam and Adrian follow up on their conversation started in Episode 15. After discussion high altitude climbing and acclimatization, the two dive into a conversation about pre-acclimatization using hypoxic tents, and the program that Alpenglow Expeditions has established in Rapid Ascent. The program utilizes pre-acclimatization alongside advanced trip logistics to reduce the total expedition time by 25-50%. 

After discussing the three Piolets d'Or winners, and 60 finalists, Sam and Adrian jump into the complicated topic of high altitude climbing. The two share stories of their early experiences with altitude and talk about the basics of acclimatization and what a typical schedule might look at. Finally, they dive into the "aids" that are used for altitude climbing, from Diamox and Dexamethasone to Oxygen. A future episode will discuss the topic of Pre-Acclimatization using hypoxic tents, and what the Rapid Ascent system that Adrian has pioneered looks like.

Adrian and Sam chat about what it means to be a mountain guide. From introducing the American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA) and International Federation of Mountain Guide Associations (IFMGA) to discussing the decades of guides who came before the AMGA path was the standard, this episode is a great starting point for those curious about the training and business side of the  guiding industry.

**This episode was edited following it's initial publication to address some misinformation**

In Episode 13, Adrian and Sam sit down with David Morton. Dave is a freelance climbing and expedition guide, photographer/videographer, filmmaker, speaker-presenter, and founder of The Juniper Fund. In this episode, Dave talks about his life as a mountain guide on the worlds tallest peaks, including 10 Mt Everest Expeditions. He also shares information on his foundation, The Juniper Fund, which supports and empowers families and communities impacted by the loss of Himalayan high-altitude workers. Join us for our conversation with Dave.